For Sale: Maison Tropicale

We have gushed over the Tropical House before; only three of the prefabs designed by Jean Prouve were built in France, put in airplanes and flown to the Congo. Eric Touchaleaume, a French antique dealer, bought them, shipped them back to France and restored them. They are marvelous lightweight structures that were cool and comfortable in the hot Brazzaville weather.

Now one is for sale, open to the public in Queens just south of the Queensborough Bridge, and up for auction by Christies on June 5th for between four and six million dollars. Word on the street is that it will be the new TreeHugger Headquarters, but failing that we hope it gets a good public home. ::New York Times

From Yale University: Less known to the public than his contemporaries Charles Eames and Marcel Breuer, Jean Prouvé has only recently been acknowledged as one of the most influential European designers of the 20th century. Prouvé’s output, ranging from household furnishings to industrial buildings and residential homes, is notable for his signature use of industrial metals like sheet steel and aluminum.

For Sale: Maison Tropicale

We have gushed over the Tropical House before; only three of the prefabs designed by Jean Prouve were built in France, put in airplanes and flown to the Congo. Eric Touchaleaume, a French antique dealer, bought them, shipped them back to France and